Robert-Ralph Carmichael, creator of loonie coin design, dies at 78
TORONTO — The man who created the design for Canada’s loonie coin has died.
Artist Robert-Ralph Carmichael’s image of a solitary loon was introduced in 1987, when Canada replaced its one dollar bill with a coin. It was “the most significant change to Canada’s coinage system in over 50 years,” the Royal Canadian Mint said.
“Since that time, Mr. Carmichael’s design has appeared on over one billion one-dollar coins,” the mint said in a statement. “We thank him for his remarkable contribution in creating what has become a true Canadian symbol.”
Carmichael died Saturday at a hospice in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. He was 78 years old.